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Mr Lewin added: “He had taken large quantities of Valium to block out personal issues.”

The court heard that Holmes had been jailed for a string of burglaries, committing his first break-in as a youth more than 20 years ago. The latest burglary was committed while he was on bail for one of the previous offences.

Ali Rafati, for Holmes, said he was remorseful and had been free from drugs since going to prison.